The Cereal Party
by Potato Jam 7
Summary: Travis Stoll likes Katie Gardener a lot. As in, he might want to go out with her a teensy-weeny bit. So how does he get a girl who hates his guts to notice him? The answer suddenly hits him like a box of cereal placed too far off the shelf- a cereal party! An abseloutely random and ridiculous story, with TRATIE!:)


**I haven't written any Tratie in a while, so I decided to write this story for you! The whole plotline is totally ridiculous and random (like my other tratie story), so please forgive me for that:)! Hope you enjoy it!**

_Chocolate. It was beautiful. It was indescribable. It was rich. It was luscious. It was-_

"STOLL?!" a shrill scream echoed throughout the camp, and Travis's chocolate bar fell to the wooden boards of the Hermes cabin. Grumbling, Travis stood up, picked the chocolate bar off the floor, and walked over to the door.

He looked from left to right, and back again. Nothing was really wrong. Clarisse hadn't discovered her booby trapped bed. Annabeth hadn't figured out that he'd replaced her books with those little boxes meant to look like books. And Jason hadn't seen that graffiti on the side of his cabin that said: _Jason Grace loves Piper Mc Lean_.

But Katie had found out that Travis had replaced the dirt around her cabin with crumbled Oreos. Whoops.

Taking his own sweet time, Travis walked over to the Demeter cabin. He didn't like getting yelled at by Katie. It was like putting a bunny in the same room as a rhinocerous.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS STOLL?" Katie's whole face was red, and surrounding her were a dozen angry Demeter kids.

_Maybe they'll murder me with pitchforks_, Travis thought.

As if on cue, one kid raised a hoe menacingly at Travis.

"Ok, then," Travis said to the kid. Then he turned to Katie. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, yes you do!" Katie said angrily.

"Ok, fine, whatever. I did it. Are you happy now?" Travis put up his palms in resignation.

Katie suddenly looked down at her Converses. The anger drained from her face. When she looked up, her green eyes met Travis's blue ones, and he saw tiredness, confusion, and sadness in them.

"Why?" Katie said hoarsely. When Travis didn't respond, she said again, louder, "Why?"

The truth of it was that Travis really liked Katie. As in _liked_ liked. Like maybe he wanted to go out with her just a teensy weensy bit.

Katie wasn't extremely hot or beautiful in the eyes of the world. In fact, most people saw her as just average.

But to Travis, she was beautiful.

Maybe that's why he liked her-because she was average. Because she always did what she loved-gardening- and always stuck with it. Because she never gave up on that one tomato plant that wouldn't grow. Because-

"Answer me," Katie commanded, voice stern.

_Yep, she's back into rhino mode,_ Travis thought.

He sighed. "I don't know."

Katie gave him an exasperated sigh. "That's always your excuse."

"Because it's, um, true," Travis lied, "I just do stuff. I don't think."

"Yep, that's a Stoll alright. Never thinking," the kid with the hoe said. Travis shot him a look.

Katie sighed and turned around. "OK, we have to clean this up this mess guys," her voice was tired. Travis felt a tinge of guilt, but brushed it off as he sauntered off to go check out how things were going at the Athena cabin.

He hadn't gone more than five steps when something made him turn back to the Demeter cabin. Travis approached Katie and lightly tapped her shoulder. Katie whirled around, her ponytail smacking into Travis's face. It didn't hurt much, but Travis feigned hurt anyway. Katie rolled her eyes.

"What do you want now?" her voice was hostile.

"I just wanted to say…um….sorry," Travis croaked out. He'd never said sorry before, and the words felt strange on his tongue.

To his surprise, Katie smiled just a bit. "Thanks," she said. Then her voice turned hard, "But why don't you go and terrorize somebody else with your pranks?"

"No, I'm serious. I'm sorry."

"Fine. That doesn't change anything."

"Aw, c'mon Katie Potatie! You know you love me."

"I do NOT! And that's not my name!"

"Is now!" Travis sprinted off before Katie could protest, leaving her standing, shaking her head as a small smile creeped up onto her lips.

Travis went straight to Jason's cabin and knocked like crazy on the door. When it finally opened, Jason looked somewhat annoyed.

"How do you get girls to like you? Specifically, _a _girl?" Travis blurted out.

"Uh…" Jason started, "I don't know. Be yourself? That's what I do, and all the Aphrodite girls love me,"' he guestured to a stack of love letters by the doorstep. Travis hadn't noticed them earlier. "Of course, I'm with Piper so…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I get it! But I mean, like, I'm so awesome! And this girl doesn't even like me! Can you believe that?! Not liking _the Travis_?! She should have her brain checked out or-"

"Um, Travis?"

"Yeah?"

"Just, um, chill out. And be nice. Like, lay off the pranks."

_LAY OFF THE PRANKS?! ARE YOU KIDDING?!, _Travis thought. Instead he said, "Meh. You're seriously overrated, Grace."

"OK then…I have swordfighting now."

"OK, I'll leave," Travis walked away, thinking to himself all the while, _Lay off pranks? No way! Chicks love me 'cause of that. Wait, atleast I THINK they do….hmmm, maybe Jason is right? No, THE Travis is ALWAYS right…._

The idea hit him like a box of cereal might hit your head if you place it too far off the shelf.

A cereal party.

Why hadn't he thought of it before? Travis knew Katie _loved_ cereal. She would probably marry him on the spot if he threw her a cereal party. The idea was awesomely ingenious-something only THE Travis could've thought up.

But first he'd need some help…

"Hey, Michael! Can you make invitations for a cereal party?" Travis asked the Apollo camper.

"A cereal party? That's ridiculous!" Michael said between snorts. Travis narrowed his eyes.

"It's actually an ingenious idea," he said. Michael stopped laughing.

"Ok, what do you want written inside?" Michael said, getting ahold of himself.

"Something like: You are invited to a Cereal Party-" Travis began, but Michael started to crack up. Travis shot him a death glare, and he instantly shut up.

"Any way, it'll say: You are invited to a cereal party hosted by The Travis, in honor of Katie Gardener. Bring a box of cereal or die. Will be at the Hermes cabin from seven o clock until three in the morning."

"Three in the morning?!"

"Just write it."

"Ok, and how many?"

"Enough for the whole camp. Make them look..um….you know, cereal-y. Oh, and one more thing-will one of you Apollo kids be the DJ?"

"Yeah, for twenty drachmas."

Travis's eyes bugged out. He didn't have that much. But he did have something else….

Travis rummaged through his jeans pockets. _Aha! There it was!_

"How 'bout a chocolate bar?" Travis dangled it tantalizingly above Michael's head. He conveniently forgot to mention that it had fallen on the ground and was already bitten into.

Michael didn't buy it. He crossed his arms.

"It's king sized," Travis sang.

"OK, deal!" Michael snatched the bar from Travis's hands, and Travis smiled.

"Remember, my cabin at seven! And when will the invitations be ready?"

"By two-ish."

"Ok, good! Thanks!"

"You're welcome!"

Travis ran away before Michael figured out that the chocolate bar was already bitten into. He didn't need to get yelled at twice in one day.

As soon as he reached the Hermes cabin, he called out, "Connor?!"

"Yeah, bro?" Connor called back from his top bunk where he was meticulously licking off the oreo centers from the cookie and filling the space with toothpaste.

"Ok, I need your help. I'm going to throw a cereal party, and I need help making a sign. Still have that spray paint?"

"A cereal party?" Connor asked incredulously.

"Yeah, you know, with cereal?"

"OK, then," Connor said as he jumped from his bunk and reached under Travis's for the can.

"Here," he tossed it to Travis, who caught it in midair. Figures since he was just THAT awesome.

"Do we have any wooden boards?" asked Travis as he rummaged through his Stolen Stuff pile, looking for one.

"Yeah, here," Connor pulled out a five foot long board, and got misty eyed looking at it. "First thing I ever stole," Connor said and wiped his eyes.

Travis patted him on the back. "I know how it is, bro," he said.

Once Connor was done re living his board-stealing memories, they lay the board down in front of them and began shaking the can.

"Think this is enough?" Travis asked as the red paint sloshed back and forth in the can, like a maraca.

"Yeah," Connor said, and straightened out the board. "Do you want to do the job?"

"We'll take turns spraying each word," Travis said, as he uncapped the can, ready to spray.

"What's it gonna say?"

"Something like: _Cereal Party at the Hermes Cabin_." Travis replied as he gave the can one more reassuring shake.

"Got it. Hey, what are you waiting for? Spray!"

Travis and Connor Stoll were experts in the art of spray painting and graffiti, so they were done in a matter of minutes. As they waited around or it to dry, Connor turned to Travis.

"That looks OK, right? I feel like we messed up somewhere," Connor said, glancing skeptically at the sign. Travis looked at the beautiful work of art (in his opinion) which read:

_Serial Party the Hermiz Cabin!_

He shook his head. "Nah, we nailed it, spelling and all."

Connor nodded proudly. "What about food and games?"

"Easy! I told everyone to bring a box of cereal so we'll eat cereal. We can even have a cereal throwing war and play spin the cereal box!"

"Fun, fun, fun," Connor said sarcastically. Then he asked, "Why?"

This was the second time today Travis had been asked that three letter, one word question, and it was going to be the second time he answered with, "I don't know."

"I don't know," said Travis.

Connor looked over at him. "It's about a girl right? 'Cause you always do stupid stuff when it's about a girl."

"OK, first of all, a cereal party is NOT stupid. Second, it's not about a girl. I just..um….like cereal!" Travis lied.

"Yeah, right," Connor said as he got up. "Oh well, I've got oreos to fill with toothpaste. Wanna help?"

"No! I have a party to plan!" Travis got up and walked over to the door. At the door frame, he paused. "Hey, how much lighting do you think we need in here?"

Connor surveyed the room. "A lot. Especially in those corners."

"Corners?"

"They're dark. And you know what might happen in dark corners….."

"Shut up!" Travis said, turning bright red.

Connor shrugged and went back to filling his oreos with toothpaste.

The sign was posted. The invitations were out. Everyone was hiding behind and under things, waiting for a Demeter kid (whom Travis had bribed with another chocolate bar) to bring Katie so they could all jump out and shout, "Surprise!"

All afternoon, Travis had taken special care to make sure that Katie stayed away from the signs and the invitations. While she took bathroom breaks , Travis would trample the strawberry plants so that she'd have to stay and fix them. It was cruel, but it had worked.

Right now, Travis was waiting, heart beating, underneath his bunk with a whole bunch of other Hermes kids. Across from him, some Ares kids were straining to fit under a bunk. Travis smirked.

Connor poked his arm. "Remind me why this party conveniently happened to be for a girl?" he whispered. Even through the darkness, Travis could see him smirking.

"Um, I just thought Katie might like it," Travis said. It was partially true anyway.

Connor opened his mouth to say something, but didn't get the chance. The door creaked open, and Katie's voice wafted in.

"I still don't see why…"

At that moment, Jason flicked the switch, and the lights burst on. Everyone jumped up (except for a few Ares kids who were still struggling to get out of the bunk) and screamed, "SURPRISE! HAPPY CEREAL PARTY!"

Travis grinned from ear to ear, and caught her gaze. Katie gave him a smile, which almost never happened.

He expected her to cry.

Or throw her arms around him and say he was the best ever.

Or marry him on the spot.

But she didn't.

She laughed.

Travis bit his lip. This was NOT how things were supposed to go.

"Um, do you like it?" Travis asked hopefully. The other campers leaned forward expectantly.

Katie was laughing hysterically now. "It's so…ridiculous..only..you…Travis!" she said between bursts of laughter.

Travis walked over to her. "So you like it?"

"Oh my gods, Travis this is the sweetest thing you've ever done…yes…I love it!"

Travis smiled. She did like it!

"But it's so ridiculous!"Katie burst out laughing.

This was confusing. Did she like it? Or not?

Travis didn't need an answer as Katie suddenly pulled him into a hug. She was still laughing like a madwoman as she kissed his cheek lightly.

Travis turned bright red as Katie leaned forward again to kiss him, this time on the lips.

The lips. Travis Stoll had officially had his first kiss!

Travis couldn't hear anything. He couldn't hear the cheers and whistles behind him as Katie took both his hands in hers. He was totally paralyzed as he just smiled stupidly at Katie.

Katie slugged him in the arm, bringing him back to his senses.

"C'mon Travis! We have some cereal to eat!"

The end!

**That's it, peoples! I hope you enjoyed the absolute ridiculousness and randomness of the cereal party:) Have an awesome Sunday!**


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